High price of chicken affecting restaurants in Coimbatore, says hoteliers’ association

Hotels in Coimbatore city seek government measures to control chicken meat prices

High prices of chicken meat in the first two weeks of June have hit the hotels and restaurants, according to Coimbatore District Hoteliers’ Association.

The Association representatives said the State government should intervene to check surging chicken meat prices in the market. The members of the Association source almost three tonnes of chicken a day and if the demand from other eateries is included, the total consumption in Coimbatore city will be nearly 10 tonnes of chicken meat a day.

Live birds were sold for ₹ 75 to ₹ 90 a kg last month and the prices peaked to ₹ 160 a kg this month. Even in June 2022, the prices did not go up this high, say the representatives.

In the retail market, the price of chicken meat is approximately ₹ 320 a kg. A large number of consumers prefer buying cooked chicken from hotels.. “We last revised the prices on the menu card in January. We expected the prices to go up to maximum ₹ 120 a kg,” said one of the leading hotel owners here.

The prices of all inputs from fuel to vegetables have shot up and the hoteliers cannot change the prices on the menu card frequently. So, the government should fix a price ceiling, the Association said.

If the prices continued to escalate, the hoteliers will have no option but stop selling chicken dishes, they added.